Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.
National median · BLS
$37,450
▲ +2.74%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$38,810
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
441,050
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$28,480
25th
$32,440
Median (50th)
$37,450
75th
$44,800
90th — top pay
$49,670
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
BLS projects employment of cooks, institution and cafeteria to grow 2.8% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 62,900 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
454,000 → 466,600
+12,600 jobs
Projected change
+2.8%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
62,900
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Judgment and Decision Making3.1
Monitoring3.1
Operations Monitoring3.1
Quality Control Analysis3.1
Service Orientation3.1
Speaking3.1
Active Listening3.0
Complex Problem Solving3.0
Coordination3.0
Critical Thinking3.0
Top knowledge areas
English Language3.6
Food Production3.6
Customer and Personal Service3.6
Mathematics3.5
Administration and Management3.3
Production and Processing3.1
Public Safety and Security3.0
Education and Training2.9
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft WordGNOME GnutritionIBM Lotus 1-2-3Meals PlusPCS Revenue Control Systems FASTRAK School Meal Software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What cooks, institution and cafeteria do
Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.
Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.
Rotate and store food supplies.
Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.
Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.
Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.
Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry.
Direct activities of one or more workers who assist in preparing and serving meals.
Also called
Cafeteria CookCookDietary CookSchool CookDinner CookFood Service SpecialistFood Service WorkerPrep Cook (Preparatory Cook)Sous Chef
More job titles for this occupation (14)
Boarding House CookCamp CookCulinary SpecialistDietary AideGalley CookInstitutional CookKitchen CookLine CookMess CookNutrition Care SpecialistRanch CookSchool Cafeteria CookShip's CookSpecial Diet Cook
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $37,450.
